e to a woody
bottom about a mile distant and to encamp there for a day or two, by way
of having a regular buffalo-hunt and getting a supply of provisions.

As the troop defiled along the slope of the hill towards the
camping-ground, Beatte proposed to my messmates and myself that we
should put ourselves under his guidance, promising to take us where we
should have plenty of sport. Leaving the line of march, therefore, we
diverged towards the prairie, traversing a small valley and ascending a
gentle swell of land. As we reached the summit we beheld a gang of wild
horses about a mile off. Beatte was immediately on the alert, and no
longer thought of buffalo-hunting. He was mounted on his powerful
half-wild horse, with a lariat coiled at the saddle bow, and set off in
pursuit, while we remained on a rising ground watching his manoeuvres
with great solicitude.

Taking advantage of a strip of woodland, he stole quietly along, so as
to get close to them before he was perceived. The moment they caught
sight of him a grand scamper took place. We watched him skirting along
the horizon like a privateer in full chase of a merchantman; at length
he passed over the brow of a ridge and down into a shallow valley; in a
few moments he was on the opposite hill, and close upon one of the
horses. He was soon head and head, and appeared to be trying to noose
his prey; but they both disappeared again below the hill, and we saw no
more of them. It turned out afterwards that he had noosed a powerful
horse, but could not hold him, and had lost his lariat in the attempt.

While we were waiting for his return, we perceived two buffalo bulls
descending a slope towards a stream which wound through a ravine fringed
with trees. The young count and myself endeavored to get near them under
covert of the trees. They discovered us while we were yet three or four
hundred yards off, and, turning about, retreated up the rising ground.
We urged our horses across the ravine and gave chase. The immense weight
of head and shoulders causes the buffalo to labor heavily up-hill; but
it accelerates his descent. We had the advantage, therefore, and gained
rapidly upon the fugitives, though it was difficult to get our horses to
approach them; their very scent inspired them with terror. The count,
who had a double barrelled gun loaded with ball, fired, but missed. The
bulls now altered their course, and galloped down-hill with headlong
rapidity. As they ran in diff